World Environment Day 2018

Jun 05, 2018,
Shikha Goyal

Every Year World Environment Day is observed on 5 June promoted by the United Nation and for 2018India being the host country. World Environment Day is also known as the Environment Day, Eco Day or WED. This day is celebrated to spread awareness about the Environment and its effects on the daily life of the people.

Environment is the surrounding or conditions in which a person, animal or plant lives or operates. It is necessary to understand the importance of environment and lots of activities are done by the people to preserve and conserve the unique and life nurturing nature.

People are more reluctant today to save the Environment for the future and then only it will be possible for the people to focus on the developmental activities in the country.

World Environment Day 2018: Theme

The theme for the World Environment Day 2018 is “Beat Plastic Pollution”.

We know that it is not possible to reuse plastic, they are non-biodegradable. So, it’s better not to use it. Plastics consist of several chemicals which are toxic or disrupt hormones. Plastics can also serve as a magnet for other pollutants, including dioxins, metals and pesticides.

Therefore, it is necessary to call the people from all over the world to come and combat single-use plastic pollution which harms our ecosystem and consequently us.

The slogan is: If you can’t reuse it, refuse it.

World Environment Day: History

Since 1973 , World Environment Day has been started celebrating as an annual event on every 5 June to raise the importance of the healthy and green environment in the human lives, to solve the issues of the environment by implementing some positive environmental actions by government, organisations and individual as a whole.

In 1972 in the conference held on Human Environment began from 5th to 16th June at United Nations, World Environment Day was first established to be celebrated every year by running some effective campaigns by the United Nations General Assembly and United Nations Environment programme (UNEP).

First time World Environment Day is celebrated in 1973 with the theme "Only one Earth". And from 1974, the celebration campaign of the World Environment Day is hosted in different cities of the world.

It is necessary to address the environmental issues like deforestation, increasing global warming, wastage and losses of food, pollution etc. Throughout the world several campaigns are organised with a particular theme and slogan to bring effectiveness around the world.

This day is celebrated to successfully get carbon neutrality, reducing greenhouse effects, focusing on forest management, planting on degraded lands, energy production through solar sources, promoting coral reefs and mangroves, developing new drainage system etc.

A study conducted by Ellen McArthur Foundation in 2015 says that about 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic waste has been generated in the world so far, and around 90% of this will not decompose for at least 500 years. Micro-plastic or tiny fragments have been found in soil, tap water, bottled water, beer and even in the air we breathe, according to scientists.

Objectives behind celebrating World Environment Day

- World Environment Day is celebrated to spread awareness among common people about the issues of the environment.

- Encourage common people from different society and communities to actively participate in the celebration as well as become an active agent in developing environmental safety measures.

- Encourage people to make their nearby surroundings safe and clean to enjoy safer, cleaner and more prosperous future.

The amount of plastic waste that India generates in a year is equivalent to the weight of 30 Titanic ships. Maharashtra generates the maximum plastic waste among the India states and Gujarat is at second position.

What Greenpeace report says?

3,300 Indians died every day in 2015, according to a Greenpeace report. In the last five years, the government’s allocation towards the environment has got reduced by 19%.

On the World Environment Day, UN is making an effort to urge governments, industries, communities and also uniting people against plastic and its side effects. Exploring alternatives that are sustainable. It has created a global platform where people can gather and take positive environmental actions. We should participate in the campaigns and join together to eradicate the problems caused due to pollution and make environment clean. Together we can make change.